When I was 15 years old, I got a free ticket to go see Peter Frampton in Newport, Rhode Island. I knew and liked the three big radio hits - "Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", "Do You Feel Like We Do" - and free is free, so why not? Before the show started, the venue made a big to-do that no one was allowed to stand in the space between the front of the stage and the front row; alas, by the middle of the first song, there were quite a few people right up in there. Halfway through the set, Frampton ripped into a killer cover of "Black Hole Sun". My friend and I thought it was super badass, so we tried to sneak up to the front. A security guard stopped us and explained that the only people allowed to stand either had front row tickets or exclusive VIP passes. As we returned to our seats disappointed, I turned around to see Frampton looking at us with a confused expression. During the next song, a killer version of "(I'll Give You) Money", a couple more people tried to get up front and were also stopped. As the song kept playing, Peter announced, "Let the people come up and dance! If they can't get up here and dance, I'm walking off this stage." My friend and I looked at each other and *booked it* to the front, as did many others. The security guards continued to try and stop a few people, which Frampton objected to. He cued the band to stop, took his guitar off, and left the stage. I remember saying to my friend, "Even if he doesn't come back, this is the most badass concert ever." Sure enough, though, he returned about 10 minutes later with a shit-eating grin on his face and said, "Let's pick that one back up from my guitar solo." He finished the song (and the set) while my friend and I got to enjoy it from right up front, and to this day, it's one of the coolest, most respectable rock star moves I've ever witnessed. I suppose I can understand why he may not be everyone's cup of tea, and I'm sure some people of a certain generation got burnt out on this album's hype, but I will never have anything but the utmost respect for Peter Frampton. And this album is pretty damn good. 4/5

Dimery should be fucking arrested for including this. 1/5

I refuse to believe that Sparks existed until that documentary came out, and then everyone *pretended* like they’ve just known about them for 40 years. I worked in a record store back home for 7 years with multiple other music snobs. Been surrounded by white hipster douchebag bandmates for 15 years. Nary a *word* of this band’s existence. Then, this documentary comes out, and all of sudden, every fucking jackass I know with a mustache is all, “Oh yeah, Sparks! OBVIOUSLY!” And before I know it, these paid fucking actors have created this elaborate hoax of a *50-year career* that everyone can point to and I DON’T BUY IT. 2.5/5

Oh my god she never shuts up. 2/5

"Must hear before you die?" Why?? So I can know what the 362nd best album of 1979 sounds like? Stupid and erroneous. Excited to never listen to this again. 1.5/5

“Vienna” is fantastic. Everything else? Meh. I like a lot of the melodies and musical ideas, but Billy’s voice and personality just rub me the wrong way. “Just the Way You Are” is one of the most offensively cheesy songs I’ve ever heard. 2.5/5

Truly excellent in every way. Nothing to complain about from a songwriting, performance, or production level. It’s all very good and I like it a lot. I just don’t have much of an emotional reaction to it, which is why I can’t go all the way with my score. 4/5

Damn, really cool stuff. This was a total blind spot and did not disappoint. What a wonderful, quirky surprise. I feel like this is everything people pretend Neutral Milk Hotel is. 4/5

I like it, but I feel like I’m supposed to like it more than I should. I’ll give it the extra half star bump here because there are multiple songs I really dig, though. 3.5/5

I’d be surprised if there is another hip-hop artist - singular or group - that I like more than Tribe. Best samples, best flow, best everything. Ultimately never going to be my favorite style of music, but I like the way they do it better than anyone. 4/5

Damn fucking good. They'll never be "my" hard rock band, but I think I'll continue to like them more and more. 4/5

Although I don’t love every song, I just love *them* so much. Beautiful voices, beautiful songs, beautiful music. 4/5

It’s all good and interesting to varying degrees, just not something I’m going to return to a whole lot. 3.5/5

It’s very well made and I dig the title track, but it’s just not my thing. 2/5

Absolutely fucking gorgeous. 4.5/5

It's not my thing, but there are elements I appreciate on it. I actually very much dig the opening track. 2/5

To quote my friend Joe, “Good, but I don’t care.” 3.5/5

There are elements of this music that I like, but every song on this record is just too long and too repetitive for my tastes. 2/5

Some great music, but I don't love any of the individual songs and Ferry isn't making me swoon like he seems to do for so many others. 3/5

Started off to be way better then - and not at all - what I was expecting. Eventually evened out and fell off a bit, but still pretty good. 3.5/5

One of their most cohesive records, and featuring some of their best songs. 4/5

Pretty cool stuff. Not inherently enough of my thing to give it the extra half star bump here, but it's solid nonetheless. 3.5/5

Fuck yes. 4.5/5

It’s not “my” Christmas album, but a damn good one nonetheless. 3.5/5

Starts off as strong as any R.E.M. album. Tapers off a bit eventually, but still damn good. 4/5

High 3.5. Starts off incredible. Tails a bit eventually; lyrics pretty consistently excellent, but not as much musical variety as I’d like and Franti isn’t *always* the most convincing. Still, he’s uniformly great, and this was an awesome listen. 3.5/5

Am I likely to listen to the whole thing in one sitting? Not very often, that’s for sure. But I’ll be damned if I don’t love this music, and if I don’t appreciate it acting as quite an important historical document. 3.5/5

I respect Prince, but ultimately don’t like a lot of his music. Some of my favorite tunes of his are on this one, however. 2.5/5

Oh my god she never shuts up. 2/5

Not all the way there with it, but could see it rising one day. 3.5/5

Some great stuff. “Lullaby” is a nice surprise. This is just a style of music that does very little for me. 3.5/5

It’s fine. Don’t ever need to hear it again.

Not a fan of Patton, but some good musical ideas and performances. 2.5/5

Not my favorite style of rap, but he’s probably the best/my favorite at it. 3.5/5

Too long for me to go the full 4 for, but man, so much great stuff. “Gimme the Loot” is a revelation. 3.5/5

What a voice. First song is unbelievable. Love how this sounds. One of my favorite new discoveries, excited to go back to this. 4/5

Some of my favorite songs I’ve heard from this style of music so far. 3.5/5

I will never return to this intentionally, but I’ll be damned if it’s not a solid listen and very well done. 3.5/5

The guy is a fucking prick, but he makes great music. 4/5

Pretty good stuff. Opening track my favorite. 3.5/5

The title track is a true masterpiece. Everything else is great, too. 4/5

Accepting that Pixies are a songs/vibe band for me. I like them - hell, I *really* like them - but I don’t want to return to these albums that much. 3.5/5

Welp, it appears I’ve discovered yet another album that I’ve slept on for too long! Room to grow for this one. 4.5/5

Very good, highly listenable. Unsure why it’s considered essential by these standards, and don’t see much of a reason to go back to it, but nothing wrong with it. 3.5/5

I love and respect Ella and Billie. But Sarah is *my* jazz vocalist. She is perfect and divine. 4.5/5

“It’s Tricky” is undeniable. Of this era and genre, this is the best. Is it my favorite? No. But I can dig it. 3.5/5

Another one I should like more than I do. Otis is awesome, but I don’t think many, if any, of these songs are the best versions of them. Definitely enough to give it the 4 star 1001 bump, but not enough to actually get me to 4. 3.5/5

I’m sure most people think Graceland is the high watermark of his solo career, but give me this one. 4/5

Nothing about this particularly appeals to me. 2/5

Remarkably cool and a fantastic new discovery! 4/5

Not *quite* perfect, but fucking amazing enough to get the half star bump here. 4.5/5

About as high as one of my 3.5’s can be. 3.5/5

I consistently could not tell if I liked this or not. Seems like there was truly an equal amount of qualities that I did and didn’t like. So I’ll go right down the middle. 2.5/5

Loud, weird, funny, and awesome. Great stuff. 4/5

Elements that I like keep popping through, but never consistently enough to constitute true enjoyment. 2/5

Unbelievably fun and energetic. Knew I'd like it, didn't expect to like it as much as I do. 4/5

This shit gives me anxiety. 1/5

I can tell I’m supposed to *love* this, I’m just not there yet. Still pretty damn good. I’ll come back to this. 3.5/5

Good stuff. Easy to listen to. Won’t ever return to much. 3.5/5

It’s very good, just not my preferred Traffic album. 3.5/5

Some cool stuff - her voice is amazing overall and I’ll definitely go back to “Who Is It” - but in general, I’m just not super into it. Very cool concept and arrangements, though. 2.5/5

Their last great album. 4/5

Don’t love all of it and need to be in the mood for Liam sometimes, but goddamn, some of it is SO good. 4/5

Another extremely consistent set of songs from Elvis. 4/5

I really don't understand what there is to like about this. This guy's voice is insufferable. The music sounds terrible. The only reason it's not a half star or zero stars is because it occasionally vaguely resembles music. 1/5

Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Nice pink energy. Never too over the top. Could see this rising to 3.5; using this review as a reminder for me to relisten. 3/5

Classic case of liking a lot of it, but only being able to get so high because of my feelings on the album experience with this genre. 3.5/5

Maybe my 7th favorite Neil? And it’s still so goddamn good. God, this guy was the best. There will be other 4.5’s that get the 1001 bump up to 5; sticking with 4 for this one, but I still love it. 4.5/5

I don’t love Albarn’s voice, but goddamn, I really like just about everything else. Really cool stuff. Excited to check out more. 4/5

Beautiful. 4/5

There’s some good stuff on here - the title track is a masterpiece - but overall, it’s too long and a bit one note. 3/5

Definitely not as good as its predecessor, but still very good. 3.5/5

Janis sounds amazing, and it’s a gigantic step up from the debut. 4/5

Nice. Borders on too nice. But overall good playing and writing. 3.5/5

Holy shit, what a discovery! Great production! Excellent samples, really cool energy. I didn’t know what to expect out of Latifah’s music, but this is one of my favorite surprises so far! 4/5

He's a great writer. And it all SOUNDS great. But even before I knew how much of a tool he was, there was always somewhat of a disconnect. He never resonated with me. I recognized the quality, but it didn't speak to me. It still doesn't. I do my best to separate the art from the artist, but I can't pretend I'm not turned off by Ryan right now. And it definitely isn't helping me connect with this any more at the moment. A very generous... 3.5/5

Honestly? Some stuff I really like. But a lot of other stuff that hasn’t aged so well. 3/5

Cool stuff. Again, I question how essential this is, but cool stuff. 3.5/5

Liked this way more than I expected to. Was never a fan of theirs, did not like these singles when they came out, but damn, I’m happy I went back to it. 3.5/5

Not my favorite Creedence, but still very good. 3.5/5

There's some good stuff on here, but the humor doesn't translate well and it's a bit musically one-note. 3/5

Incredible voice and some great songs. A bit by the numbers for me musically sometimes, but room to rise in my estimations. 3.5/5

Almost convinced me with the first song, but the more it continued, the more it wasn’t something I enjoyed at all. 1/5

A bit one-note, but still very cool. 3.5/5

Just not sure if I’m fully ready for this. Some great melodies in there. 3/5

Totally badass. PJ is the best. 4/5

Always better than I remember it being. 5/5

My favorite album of all-time. Not a wasted second or note. The grin across my face when this popped up as my album of the day says it all. True perfection, one that will always inspire me and provide me endless happiness. 5+/5

"Must hear before you die?" Why?? So I can know what the 362nd best album of 1979 sounds like? Stupid and erroneous. Excited to never listen to this again. 1.5/5

You know, there are certainly some good musical ideas. And it's not produced as annoyingly as a lot of their contemporaries. They're certainly a step up in that regard. But my God, does Axl fucking Rose ruin this album for me. What a horribly annoying vocalist and lyricist. Honestly, it's a miracle I'm grading this as "highly" as I am. 2.5/5

What a voice, what a band, what a performer. 4/5

It's all fine, but I never care to listen to it ever again. 3/5

Really interesting, beautiful stuff. I need to be in the right mood for it, but when I am, it’s great. 3.5/5

My least favorite Drake, but still very good. 3.5/5

I’m a sucker for these records. Some all-timers on this one. 4/5

Some great stuff. Again, my overall feelings on these hip-hop album experiences stop me from getting too high, but this is definitely my favorite style overall. 3.5/5

Great vibe and sound, but I just don’t think I’m a smart enough listener to be able to love something like this for a whole album. 3.5/5

Very solid Willie record. Love the concept and layout. 4/5

Rock and roll perfection. 5/5

The highs are so unbelievably high. And the craft is *ridiculous*. He’s so fucking talented. It’s just so long and inconsistent, featuring too many questionable tracks. 3.5/5

I liked this album - it will get the 4 star bump given this site’s lack of half star ratings. I will return to it one day. That said, I think it’s more accurate to say that “Bitter Sweet Symphony” is one of the 1,001 Songs to Hear Before You Die, rather than this album being a necessity. 3.5/5

So damn cool. Great songs, great atmosphere. Dangerously close to the 5 star bump. 4.5/5

I liked this more than I thought I would. Which is to say, still not *that* much, but I've gained a healthy bit of respect for this band. 2.5/5

I like it. Perhaps one day I’ll love it. 4/5

Basically what I expect from them. Bon era still my favorite. 3.5/5

The band is so loud, yet they make no real noise. The singer is doing so much, yet saying so little. There are so many notes, yet no actual melodies. So much effort for such little payoff. Complete anonymity. Example #36 of “why *must* I hear this before I die?” 2/5

From their debut album, they’ve added both an additional member (Neil Young) and an additional star. 5/5

Great songs, but it “stalls” because I think the versions that end up on Live Rust are even better. 4/5

Got “better” as it went on. “Kerosene” the obvious highlight. Will never listen to this again. This rating is generous. 2/5

Pretty dependable rock and roll. Rod’s songs definitely better than Ronnie’s. Not up to the level of the other greats from this time period, but still very good. 3.5/5

I don’t hate or even dislike any of it, but I find it to be quite boring. His flow is fine, but his timbre is unspectacular. And it’s soooo long. I can’t imagine sitting through this whole thing again. 2.5/5

This rules so completely. High 4 stars with room to grow. 4/5

Call me uncultured swine, but I really can’t get much into this at all. 1.5/5

WHO THE HELL IS PICKING THESE ALBUMS?! WHO DECIDED I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS?! 1/5

Dangerously close to 4.5 stars. Perhaps could get there one day. The length did wear on me a bit, but I liked everything and loved most everything. Very cool find. 4/5

I like it, I just can’t get all the way there with it. 3/5

Frank’s not fully formed yet, but still awesome. Lots of good stuff here. 4/5

Not really my thing, but there are some interesting things happening here. 3/5

A lot more here that I like than I’d initially anticipate. Multiple songs I should go back to. 3.5/5

When I’m in the mood for this, it totally hits the spot. 4/5

I may be the only person on the planet who prefers S/T and Tusk, but my appreciation for and enjoyment of this album has grown slightly. I don’t think it will ever be an all-time favorite, but I like it more now than I ever have. 4/5

Tough to argue with. It only means so much to me, but it’s excellent. 4/5

Starts off hot and cools a bit in the middle. None of it is bad, though, and the best stuff is awesome. 3.5/5

What’s not to like here? This is just about everything I could want out of this genre in this decade. 4/5

When he sang "You are unbearable" on the first song, I felt that. 1/5

Probably my favorite Sabbath album. 4/5

A true masterpiece. Top-notch composition and performances. 5/5

Solid, dependable alternative rock. 3.5/5

Another album that I know I’m supposed to like much more than I do, but I still do like regardless. 3.5/5

Not always in the mood for this kind of music, but there’s no denying how excellently this is put together. 4/5

One of my favorite new discoveries. What a hell of a voice! 4.5/5

The “That’s All Right” cover is pretty bad, but everything else is really damn good. 4/5

The best stuff is amazing, but there is a fair amount of stuff I’m not crazy about. Still gets the 4 star bump, of course. 3.5/5

Two albums down for Chic and they are still not for me. 2/5

I do actually like a decent amount of this - she has a great voice and has some really great lyrics - but it’s just not totally my thing from a musical perspective. Could stand a revisit of this someday. 3/5

Yeah…this rules. Not my favorite music ever, but holy shit, it’s so damn good. 4/5

Really, really close to 4 stars. Could get there one day. 3.5/5

Lang’s voice is fantastic. Solid arrangements all the way around. Very easy to listen to. 3.5/5

I like this so much more than I ever expected I would. This could grow to 4 stars one day. 3.5/5

Side 1 is very good, and side 2 is *great*. I’d be very surprised if this wasn’t my favorite album of theirs. 4/5

Lots and lots of cool stuff here. Glad this is my first album of his. Room to grow. 4/5

Some decent instrumentals and musical ideas. But man, this guy has some of my least favorite vocal inflections of all-time. 2/5

I actually really like “Invaders”, but it’s downhill for me after that. I like some of the punky influences, but Dickinson is just too over the top for me. 2.5/5

Some really killer songwriting here. It's not my favorite album of all-time by any means, but I can definitely return to this one. 3.5/5

Greg Lake has the perfect voice for this genre, and the production/arrangements/instrument choices on here are all I want from a prog record. 4/5

I much prefer Björk in this environment. It’d be the full four stars if the male singer wasn’t there. 3.5/5

Perfect performance. No notes. 5/5

The title track is fantastic. The rest is all pretty good. 3.5/5

I just don't get this genre at all. I don't like the tones of the instruments, the overall sound, the singing...it's just not for me, I guess. 2/5

I need to be in the right mood for it, but when I am, it kicks major ass. 4/5

Very solid writing and arrangements. Good stuff. Just not my favorite overall. 3.5/5

Part #826 of “I know I should like this even more.” Still, a very high 3.5. Great stuff. 3.5/5

I want to like this so much more than I do. I like a lot of the music - *really* like some of it in fact - but feel a massive disconnect with Anderson’s voice. Shame. 3/5

Although The Basement Tapes was the first Dylan record I heard, Bringing It All Back Home was my real introduction to *Bob Dylan*, that guy with the unique singing voice who writes the mind-blowing lyrics. Perhaps a lot of other younger children would have been turned off, but I was instantly hooked. It was the beginning of a lifelong listening journey that has brought me immeasurable joy and enthrallment. I considered this record my favorite of Bob’s for a long time, no doubt due to my nostalgic attachment. As the years have passed, two albums have overtaken it in my personal rankings, but that holds no bearing on how highly I think of it. Some days, it’s still my favorite, and how could it not be? We finally get the emergence of rock and roll Bob, who nails it right out of the gate with “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, a relentless beat-poet cultural commentary with a Chuck Berry-esque groove and proto-hip-hop vocal delivery. It’s followed up two songs later with “Maggie’s Farm”, an equally quotable and breakneck critique of societal expectations. The combination of Bob’s pointed vocals and the band’s rickety drive create a sound unlike anything that came before it, a sound that still aids these two major compositions after all these years. Their urgency is also crucial to the spirited “Outlaw Blues” and the persistent boogie of “Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream”, two additional rocking highlights. For all of the attention this album receives as the introduction to electric Dylan, the ballads on Bringing It All Back Home are responsible for so much of its greatness. The studio band is wonderfully tasteful on “She Belongs to Me” and “Love Minus Zero/No Limit”, two remarkable celebrations of love that rank among my top 25 Dylan tracks. Then, of course, we’re treated to the acoustic second side of the record, beginning with the psychedelic masterpiece of “Mr. Tambourine Man”: Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free Silhouetted by the sea Circled by the circus sands With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves Let me forget about today until tomorrow The glorious lyrical imagery combined with Bob’s top-notch vocal is sheer brilliance. Bruce Langhorne’s electric guitar work acts as a nice textural feature as well, ensuring that the recording is as good as the song itself. Dylan also receives accompaniment on the album’s closer, “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”, joined by William E. Lee on bass as he delivers one of the grandest melodies he’s ever written. The lyrics and soundscape are as mournful as “Mr. Tambourine Man” is joyous, marking an arresting end to the record. Sandwiched in between these two giants are two completely virtuosic lyrical exercises. “Gates of Eden” and “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” are not only the two most evocative songs he’d written up until this point; they remain two of his most engrossing songs to this day. The latter in particular is still one of the most quotable tracks in his catalog (“He not busy being born is busy dying”; “Even the President of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked”), and its criticism of American consumerism and political hypocrisy, among other things, is as relevant today as it ever was. Whenever I take time away from Bringing It All Back Home, I’m always shocked when I return to it and remember how loaded it is. I know the track listing front-to-back, but to actually hear this group of songs in sequence is an experience I always treasure. I’d venture to say nine of the 11 tracks are in or close to my top 100 Dylan songs, and six - “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, “She Belongs to Me”, “Love Minus Zero”, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “It’s Alright, Ma”, and “Baby Blue” - are probably in my top 30 alone. The fact that it works so well as a cohesive whole solidifies it as a top 3 Dylan record in my book, and one that I’ll always be grateful for. Least favorite track: “On the Road Again”. Super fun musically, and some memorable lyrics (“Your grandpa’s cane, it turns into a sword/Your grandma prays to pictures that are pasted on a board”). It’s just surrounded by so many titanic compositions, and it’s the one I return to least. Favorite track: “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)”. In addition to my aforementioned points, I’m totally in love with Bob’s focused, intense vocals and propulsive guitar work. It’s absolutely phenomenal; my third favorite Dylan track.

Pre-listen: WHAT THE FUCK, I LITERALLY JUST GOT THE OTHER ONE FOUR DAYS AGO, JESUS CHRIST. After listening: Eh. Some good stuff, but nothing that moves me. 3/5

Gahhh there’s some stuff I like here, but it’s just not doing it for me on the whole. 2.5/5

There are some damn good Bowie albums before Hunky Dory, but this is the first *great* one. Not my absolute favorite, but truly fantastic. 4.5/5

I completely understand why this is usually peoples’ #1 or #2 Springsteen record. Totally stacked track list, almost every song here is out of this world good. I’ve never been a massive fan of “Something in the Night” or “Candy’s Room”, but everything else is top-notch. Bruce’s songwriting shifts on this record; he writes in a very particular way on his first two albums, tweaks it slightly on Born to Run, and then sort of settles into I guess what you’d call the modern Springsteen mold on this record. His storytelling isn’t any less complex, but his actual language is. He gets a bit more direct, but still very poetic and fantastic at painting a picture with his words. He’s also a total badass guitar player on this record, you hear it right off the bat in “Badlands”, an awesome upbeat pop-rocker that he adds some really gnarly guitar work on. And he kicks it up several notches in track two, “Adam Raised a Cain”, easily the most blistering, incendiary guitar playing in his catalog, and a killer song to boot. I could go on all day about some of these songs, “The Promised Land”, the title track, “Prove It All Night”...it’s a wonderful collection of songs. It’s only my #3 because I have that much love for Born to Run and The Wild, The Innocent…, but still an easy 4.5 stars and an easy 1,001 5 star bump. 4.5/5

I’m extremely high on Bowie’s last three records, including this one obviously. I think he sounds great vocally and musically reinvigorated. Granted, I’m pre-dispositioned to more organic sounds, but I still don’t think these arrangements or production stylings are by the numbers or stale or anything. Just a great batch of songs, one of my favorite albums of 2013. 4/5

Production is a bit dated for my tastes, and this just isn’t my favorite era in general for hip-hop. I know this is an important classic, but I will never willingly listen to it again. 2.5/5

3 Bowie records in six days, huh? Between this and back-to-back k.d. lang's/near-back-to-back Rufus Wainwright's, y'all need to get this randomizer in check. Anyway, another solid Bowie record, what can I say? "Panic in Detroit" is particularly a favorite for me here. 4/5

There's nothing inherently bad about this, but dear God is it fucking boring. This may have more historical significance than a lo-fi hip-hop Spotify playlist, but it sure as hell doesn't have any more or less quality than one. In fact, it may have less diversity. Again, I ask: why did I *have* to hear this before I died? 1.5/5

Doesn't hit me as hard as the first album, but still very good. 3.5/5

A lot of good music and a few great tracks - "Safe from Harm" and "Hymn of the Big Wheel" are my favorites - but consistently bad vocals and lyrics. Not something I'm likely to return to too much. 3/5

He still sounds a bit green on a lot of it. Some great stuff, but some stuff I don't love, too. 3.5/5

A cool little surprise. I could stand to come back to this. 3.5/5

I like this about as much as I'm ever bound to like a hybrid of smooth soul and sophisto-pop. Which is still not very much. 2.5/5

Alright, look. I’m just not really a Prince fan. I respect him. He’s the most talented musician to ever walk the planet. But I don’t love his voice, I don’t love 80’s production, and I don’t really love this style of music. HOWEVER. It has grown on me. I like it more now than I ever have. Maybe one day I will like it even more. Until then… 3/5

Still my favorite Costello record. "But the Attractions aren't with him yet!" Yes, I know, and I do love them too. But not only is the pub rock energy of this album so damn good, but the *songs* just can't be argued with. I love it. Probably should be a proper 5-star. At the very least, it gets the bump for this website. 4.5/5

Sorry, I know I'm supposed to worship the tortured genius of Syd, but Floyd's debut does nothing for me. I have little patience for the precious British whimsy of it all, especially combined with severely undercooked psychedelia that's not nearly on the same level of other artists coming out around this time. I will continue to give out other high scores for Floyd, but this won't be one of them. 2/5

Fourth Bowie album in two weeks. But this one truly is perfect. I don't hold him on the pedestal that many others do - he's probably a top 100 artist for me, but not top 20 - but even despite that, and despite wishing I liked glam-rock more than I do, there's just no way I can deny the incredible songwriting and performances on this record. As cliche as it may be, it's my favorite of his. 5/5

“By the Time I Get to Arizona” was something of a revelation. What a fucking track! Great writing overall, but the rest of it musically doesn’t do much for me. 3/5

Just so damn good. “Coyote”, “Amelia”, “Furry Sings the Blues”, “Blue Motel Room”…perfect songs. I’m honestly not a huge Jaco fan, but his presence here doesn’t even bother me. Probably only my 4th favorite Joni record, which speaks to her complete excellence. 4.5/5

Part #625 of “I don’t like this as much as I’m supposed to.” But I do like it. And I LOVE “Cherub Rock”. Just not an all-time favorite. 3.5/5

Fuck, this is incredibly good. Could be a true 5-star album for me someday. For now, it's just on the edge, but enough to get the bump here. 4.5/5

“Them Changes” rules. There’s a lot of care and talent put into this. It’s just not my thing overall. 2.5/5

It’s too long, but man, so much of it is fucking awesome. One of my highest 4 star ratings so far, could easily be 4.5 one day. 4/5

Meh. Some great stuff here and he’s obviously a hell of a producer, but I won’t ever return to this. My ceiling for hip-hop strikes again. 3/5

Very good and pleasant. Not sure how much I ever need to hear it again. 3/5

Sorry, y’all. I just don’t know how anyone takes this music (or at least these vocals) seriously. 1.5/5

This was totally fine, professional, pleasant, and inoffensive. But I did absolutely not need to hear this before dying. 3/5

Likely my second favorite Neil studio record. Love everything about it. 5/5

Not *quite* perfect (he gets there on the next record), but still pretty fucking awesome. 4.5/5

I can tell this is very well done. I just don't particularly like it. 2/5

It’s pleasant. A little *too* pleasant to be an all-time favorite, but still very good. 3.5/5

Clearly a talented writer, but it’s a little too hammy for me. 3/5

All these songs are way too long, Paul Buchanan doesn’t sound as good as he does on Hats, and I just don’t like this production. Blegh. 2/5

Pre-listen: I’m so fucking sick of so many fucking 80’s albums. I hope I’m wrong and I look/sound like an idiot, but oh my god, it feels like every other album is from this wretched decade. Post-listen: nope, wasn’t wrong. More terribly boring and dated music to be filed away under the worst, most pretentious genre name: “sophisti-pop.” Spare me your declarations of how “intelligent” it is. It gets a generous bonus star for sounding competently made. 2/5

It’s Bland! 2/5

I don’t like it as much as I “should”, and I seem to be in the minority in thinking that “Beauty and the Beast” is lame as hell. However, the title track is an all-timer, and I actually quite like a lot of the ambient stuff. 3.5/5

Goddamn, this is REALLY fucking cool. Not at all what I was expecting. Insane mix of jazz and classical. I need to learn more about this. Lots of room to grow here. 4/5

Fuck yes. My favorite R.E.M. album, and frankly, it’s not even close. It towers over the others for me. “Finest Worksong” kicks it all off in style, and it never lets up. So happy this is on here. 5/5

Yes, you do need to hear this before you die. Not just because it’s extremely ahead of its time, but because it fucking rules. 4/5

Some really great stuff here. Excited to keep going back to this. 4/5

Solid writing, but far too subdued and one-note for me to really like that much. 2.5/5

So good. Such a shame it was her last. 4/5

Haven’t really had my “a-ha!” moment with Berman yet, but there’s some great music here and he’s clearly a great lyricist. I hope I’ll “get it” more one day. 3.5/5

There’s a sheen to it that I struggle with, but some damn good songs. “Slow Burn” is tremendous. This could potentially grow one day. 3/5

Good and perfectly professional, but not my favorite era of the band, and not my favorite sound in general. 3.5/5

Realizing I don’t really *love* glam-rock, but still, very solid record. Will definitely return to it one day. 3.5/5

A very enjoyable, inconsequential record that I did not “need to hear before I died.” 3.5/5

So, so, so close to 5 stars. Jimmy is amazing, and honestly, Turrentine is as much the star of the record as Smith is. Expertly recorded at Van Gelder's studio, it's just so damn inviting. I love this so much. 4.5/5

Per usual with Beck, highly inventive and entertaining. 4/5

The first half of this album is a major, sanitized bummer. It’s so disappointing to hear a legend like Hooker enveloped by shitty 80’s production and forced guest stars. The second half, when the arrangements are dialed back a bit, is much better. Personally? I see no need to reach for this when his classic material is available. 3/5

Seriously fun hard rock. 3.5/5

They saved their best for last. Not a wasted note, in my opinion. Perfection. 5/5

There are some moments in here that I dig, but overall, this is very much not for me. 2/5

Clearly well-constructed baroque pop that I just don’t care that much about. 3/5

Perhaps I’m coming around to them yet. Still don’t love Geddy’s voice a lot of the time, but I can deal with these instrumentals and production. 3.5/5

I can’t believe this is on the list. Didn’t like it when I was 9, don’t like it now. 1/5

Deserves all the praise it’s gotten. Absolutely magnificent across the board: the playing, the songwriting, the production, the sequencing, everything. A truly perfect record. 5/5

Cole leaves a bit to be desired as a vocalist, but I generally like most of the music, lyrics, and (grading on a curve) production. Will return to this for sure. 3.5/5

It’s just not something I’m going to listen to a whole lot, but goddamn is Frank good. Some of these are just miraculous. Will never not love “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”. 3.5/5

I should have gotten hip to this band a long time ago. Great shit. 4/5

Perhaps critics and the general public just needed a bit of time to make sure the world wouldn’t end, but three years after announcing, and subsequently being blamed for, the Beatles’ breakup, Paul delivered a record that finally won everyone over. It would have been pretty hard to deny this one; it still sounds like a massive success 50 years later, thanks in no small part to the fact that it contains three verifiable classics. The title track is one of Paul’s all-time crowning achievements, with three distinct sections expertly crafted, connected, and performed. Tony Visconti provides some exquisite orchestration to fill out an already-flawless soundscape, and, setting a tone for most every song on the record, the three-part harmonies between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine are supremely good. “Jet” is the first true rocker of Paul’s solo career, kicking off with an effective three-note guitar/saxophone riff before exploding into a rush of pure energy featuring one of Mr. McCartney’s finest drumming performances. And “Let Me Roll It” is one of Paul’s most beloved ballads for good reason. Seen by some as a tribute to John with its snarling riff, use of tape echo, and repetitive lyrics, it contains an unbelievable lead vocal from Paul, enhanced with glorious harmonies in the choruses, and great Hammond organ from Linda. These three songs, like the album as a whole, stand the test of time; the masterclass of songwriting that is the title track may be my personal favorite, but all three rank among the best of Paul’s solo career, and their popularity is well-deserved. That’s not to say the other tracks on Band On The Run aren’t also gems. In particular, I have never been able to get enough of the bizarrely fun “Mrs Vandebilt.” The infectious “ho-hey-ho” background vocals and hilarious banter at the end of the song are overwhelmingly appealing, so much so that they threaten to, but thankfully don’t, overshadow the abundance of brilliant performances on the song. Linda’s electric piano playing is excellent, as are Howard Casey’s saxophone solos, and Paul delivers both his best bass playing on the album and marvelous dual-lead guitar work with Denny. Following “Let Me Roll It” is another first-class ballad in “Mamunia.” Featuring superb acoustic guitar work from Paul and Moog synthesizer from Linda, it is a beautiful and calming call to consider the positive in every seemingly negative situation (“The rain comes falling from the sky to fill the stream that fills the sea/And that’s where life began for you and me/So the next time you see rain, it ain’t bad/Don’t complain it rains for you”). “Picasso’s Last Words (Drink To Me)” has an intriguingly drowsy ambiance that sounds effectively akin to a dream of someone on their deathbed. Just like a dream, it glides by lazily at points before unexpectedly shifting; motifs and choruses weave in and out of each other effortlessly; two previous songs, “Jet” and “Mrs Vandebilt,” are quoted and integrated brilliantly. It is remarkably intricate, yet it floats by so smoothly. It’s another perfect example on this record of Paul flexing his muscles with true confidence for the first time in his solo career. The results are spectacular, and although I can’t deem it my favorite McCartney record like many others, Band On The Run is a complete, undoubted success. 5/5

A damn fine addition to their catalog. One of the few albums of theirs you could unironically say doesn't get enough credit. 4/5

Am I a basic bitch for preferring Nevermind? Perhaps. It is what it is. But this is still such a damn good record. 4/5

Horrifically boring and, more damning for the legitimacy of this list, horrifically inessential. 1/5

Some cool musical ideas and samples, as well as some very progressive lyrics here and there, but overall it’s a little too samey and overlong. 2.5/5

Closer to 4.5 stars than you might think. If a few of the non-hits were on the same level as the hits, it would be there. At least. Skynyrd has developed a strange reputation thanks to the atrocity that is the reunion-era band, the played-out "Free Bird" jokes, and "Sweet Home Alabama" attaining a level of radio overplay that should be illegal. But don't sleep on the original lineup's albums. It's not just good southern rock; it's damn good rock and roll period. 4/5

Lana tends to horrifically bore me, but this is my favorite of hers so far. 2.5/5

I could probably list close to 200 albums with an argument to be included on this list. Albums that serve to truly enrich the life of the listener. Albums with unbelievable cultural and historical significance. Albums that speak to and/or make sense of the human experience. In lieu of those hundreds of albums, the curator of this project decided to include Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water by Limp Bizkit. They made dozens of questionable decisions, but perhaps none more nonsensical than this one. It's a shame that one star is the lowest rating we're allowed here. 0/5

Meh. Inoffensive, but inessential. No desire to ever hear it again. 2.5/5

Probably only my fourth favorite Costello record and somehow still on the verge of 5 stars. Just wonderfully performed and written. 4.5/5

Not my favorite Queen record, but there’s some really solid shit here. 3.5/5

It all sounds good, but it’s overlong and not much of it excites or grabs me. I’ll come back to it sometime and see if I feel differently. 3/5

Not to be dismissed as a Summer of Love relic, there’s a lot of damn good stuff here. 4/5

The title track is an all-timer. The rest of the album doesn’t live up to it, but a decent listen overall. 3.5/5

There are elements and songs here I like (“Swampsnake”) in particular, but it’s not coming together all the way for me. Interested to see how I feel if I ever revisit it. 3/5

I am not a huge fan of typical 1980’s production stylings, and there are times on this album where the gated drums are a bit much for me, or there’s a little too much echo for my liking. However, the songs are so good, and in recent years, I’ve come around to it more and more. The title track, which sounds like a fun, upbeat song on first listen, is a great, biting commentary on the state of America post-Vietnam. “I’m on Fire” is a really effective song, I love the bed of synths that really set the mood well. “Dancing in the Dark”, kind of like the title track, at first glance is just this fun upbeat pop song, but some really heavy lyrics underneath it all, really fantastic song. I love “Downbound Train”, “No Surrender”, the closer “My Hometown”...even though it’s only my ninth favorite Springsteen album, I still really like it a lot, and I have just recently bumped it up to 4 stars. 4/5

I never cared about this band. I still don’t, but I recognize that this is still pretty decent. 3.5/5

I’m still learning how to love Leonard Cohen. This one may connect with me more if/whenever I get more into him. I can tell how good the writing is, and certain songs resonate with me. I’m just not all the way there with it. 3.5/5

God, I want to like this *so much more than I do*. I like Jeff Lynne, or at least I think I do. I think his three-album run as producer of Cloud Nine, Traveling Wilburys Vol. One, and Full Moon Fever in the late 80's can be stacked up against any three-album run by any producer. But...I don't know. Everything here is *so* clean and *so* sheen that I just don't really connect with it. And it's always so, so much. Chill on the vocoder and the strings. Yes, I KNOW that's your thing and why so many people love this, but not me. It's not bad, and there are songs I dig (especially "Jungle" and "Mr. Blue Sky"), but it's not anywhere near the top of my list. 3/5

Equally fascinating, entertaining, stimulating, and important. 4/5

As inoffensive as it is inconsequential. 3/5

This must be the most accessible Beefheart, but that doesn’t mean it’s not damn good. 4/5

They've honestly grown on me and I've gained more appreciation for them than I've ever had. The stuff on here I like the most, I think is legitimately very cool. But a lot of it still doesn't do much (if anything) for me, some of the songs are way too long, and the album as a whole is too long. 2.5/5

Infectious to the nth degree. Don’t see what there’s not to like about it, if not love. 4/5

Competent and pleasant, with a few distinctly solid tracks. Just not mindblowing or essential. 3.5/5

Extra half-star for the cool orchestral elements. And honestly, there are some other musical elements that pop up every now and then that I don't hate. But for the most part, this is verrrrrrry much not for me. 1.5/5

Honestly, my favorite studio album of theirs. Bridges the gap perfectly between quirky and accessible, experimental and straightforward. 4/5

Better than I expected, but still not very good and way too long. 2/5

Some cool ideas, but I much prefer where Spiritualized eventually ends up. Overall too droney and repetitive, especially because my brain isn't fried on acid. 2.5/5

After two Waterboys albums, I feel pretty confident that I like but will never love them. And that's okay. There *is* some excellent stuff on here, though. 3.5/5

She was so damn good. This is so damn good. 4/5

Volume 683 of “I wish I liked this more”, but still really good. 3.5/5

Inconsistent, and they get better, but still a pretty cool discovery that I’ll go back to. 3.5/5

“Shining Star” is fantastic. There are some other decent elements, but most of it is too cheesy. 2.5/5

The obvious, boring choice for my favorite album of his, but I can’t lie to myself. I don’t want to say it’s not close, because I do love Darkness and Wild Innocent, but I simply don’t have a remotely negative thing to say about Born to Run. I think it’s a perfect album. 5 of its 8 songs are some of my favorite Springsteen songs ever, and the other 3 are no slouches, either. Front to back, it is a masterclass of killer songwriting, and exuberant performances. And, I think similarly to the album before it, a bit of a singular work in Bruce’s catalog. You’ve basically got the classic E Street lineup in place now (Stevie Van Zandt isn’t fully in the fold yet, but he contributes a couple vocal parts and helps with the horn arrangement on “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”), but it kind of exists in this world halfway in between the straightforward heartland rock that they’ll become known for and the jazzier arrangements of the first two albums, and Bruce’s songwriting exists in that in between as well. And for me, that’s the ultimate sweet spot. I love Bruce, and I love what he was tapping into on his first couple of records, and I love a lot of what he’s done over the last 45 years, but Born to Run is quite easily the pinnacle for me. He was so hungry to succeed; he is the quintessential “I don’t have any other options” kind of musician, he had to make sure this worked out for him, and you hear that hunger in every single song. I don’t think his voice has ever sounded more passionate than it does on Born to Run. That voice really drives every song; regardless of what tempo these songs are, they always feel like they’re propulsing forward. There’s such an incredible movement to this record. And as desperate as you can tell he is, he still takes the time to basically write a love letter to the music that speaks to him the most. You can hear shades of Orbison in his voice, you get the Bo Diddley and Buddy Holly influences in “She’s the One”, the Stax-style horns on “Tenth-Avenue Freeze Out”, obviously the shades of Dylan and Van Morrison in the lyrics. He throws it all into this blender and it still comes out sounding like nothing that came before it. I think it sounds so original, and still so fresh today. Overflowing with creativity and emotion and power. A total masterpiece in my book, an easy 5 stars, and my favorite Bruce Springsteen album. 5/5

This album is a mess of beautiful contradictions. Inaccessible, but inviting. Dirty and brutal, but fun and melodic. Terrible, but awesome. I think it’s fantastic. 4/5

Their first perfect album. God, what an unbelievable set of songs. And the energy! Unmatched. My sixth favorite Beatles record, and it would probably be my favorite for about 98% of other artists. 5/5

This one has aged really well. Great social commentary. My ceiling for hip-hop strikes again, but it's very close to 4 stars. 3.5/5

Very close to 4 stars. Would easily be at least that without all the side 2 narration. The actual music is awesome. 3.5/5

Good and pleasant, just a bit inconsistent. I also don't necessarily mind when artists emulate other artists, but there were a few too many times on this record where I thought they were aping someone else. 3/5

Damn cool. Glad I finally listened to Fela after years of putting it off. Can’t wait to check out more. 4/5

I am completely incapable of enjoying this music, well performed/arranged/written as it might be. 1.5/5

Good stuff, just not great. Beck sounds amazing as always. 3.5/5

I love Music from Big Pink. A stellar, groundbreaking, magical record, an easy 5 stars and probable top 50 album all-time for me. And I think this one is even better. What it lacks in mysterious psychedelia it gains in even more gorgeous intimacy. All three vocalists sound better than they ever have or ever will. Likely a top 20-25 all-time album. I’m so grateful for its existence. 5+/5

My favorite Radiohead album. I'm not as obsessed with them to the degree that many people are, but this one has always stuck with me the most. Undeniably awesome. 4.5/5

I literally just listened to this for the first time earlier today. Are you guys fucking spying on me?!?!?! You'll be hearing from my lawyer. In the meantime, this is clearly very good stuff. I think it's gonna be a grower for me; the more dramatic, Kate Bush-y stuff isn't much to my liking, but some of the cooler, more proto-Fiona Apple stuff is killer. 3.5/5

When I was 15 years old, I got a free ticket to go see Peter Frampton in Newport, Rhode Island. I knew and liked the three big radio hits - "Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", "Do You Feel Like We Do" - and free is free, so why not? Before the show started, the venue made a big to-do that no one was allowed to stand in the space between the front of the stage and the front row; alas, by the middle of the first song, there were quite a few people right up in there. Halfway through the set, Frampton ripped into a killer cover of "Black Hole Sun". My friend and I thought it was super badass, so we tried to sneak up to the front. A security guard stopped us and explained that the only people allowed to stand either had front row tickets or exclusive VIP passes. As we returned to our seats disappointed, I turned around to see Frampton looking at us with a confused expression. During the next song, a killer version of "(I'll Give You) Money", a couple more people tried to get up front and were also stopped. As the song kept playing, Peter announced, "Let the people come up and dance! If they can't get up here and dance, I'm walking off this stage." My friend and I looked at each other and *booked it* to the front, as did many others. The security guards continued to try and stop a few people, which Frampton objected to. He cued the band to stop, took his guitar off, and left the stage. I remember saying to my friend, "Even if he doesn't come back, this is the most badass concert ever." Sure enough, though, he returned about 10 minutes later with a shit-eating grin on his face and said, "Let's pick that one back up from my guitar solo." He finished the song (and the set) while my friend and I got to enjoy it from right up front, and to this day, it's one of the coolest, most respectable rock star moves I've ever witnessed. I suppose I can understand why he may not be everyone's cup of tea, and I'm sure some people of a certain generation got burnt out on this album's hype, but I will never have anything but the utmost respect for Peter Frampton. And this album is pretty damn good. 4/5

Perfect energy. 4/5

Killer amalgam of punk, blues, rockabilly, and more. Wish more of the 80's sounded like this. 4/5

I’m truly just not the biggest vocal Jazz guy, but this is very good. She was excellent. 3.5/5

Very good, but they’re still one album away from true greatness. 3.5/5

One absolute all-timer and a bunch of other very solid, if not unspectacular, tunes. 3.5/5

The album that changed my life. I would quite literally not be the person I am without it. These days, it’s only my third favorite Beatles album, but still likely my fifth favorite of all-time by anyone. Just massively important, personally and otherwise. I love every single second of it and wouldn’t change a thing about it. Eternally grateful. I’m so lucky to live in a world where this exists. 5+/5

I don't know how much I find truly great, but I think most of it is pretty damn good. A high 3.5 with room to grow to a true 4 stars one day. 3.5/5

I truly do not want or need this type of music in my life. Well crafted for what it is, but it's not for me. 2/5

It's good. Good enough to get the 4 star bump here. But I'm missing something with this band and I'm not sure what it is. 3.5/5

I love Led Zeppelin. They are a top 5-6 band all-time for me. They have impacted my life so much in so many ways. But I push back on this being their magnum opus, as some fans claim it so obviously is. To me, they were never better than they were on their first four albums, when Plant’s voice was in his prime and Page and Bonham weren’t *as* junked out as they were by their middle/end years. That’s when they were their absolute mightiest in every way. Yes, they evolved as songwriters in certain ways as time went on, and at their best, that paid major dividends. But it also led to far more swings and misses than there were over their first four albums, and while I respect those efforts, I can’t say I like them more. I like every song on this album to varying degrees, and two of them - “Ten Years Gone” and “In the Light” - are among my 10 or 15 favorite Led Zeppelin songs. I also quite like “Down by the Seaside”, “Houses of the Holy”, “Night Flight”, and “The Rover”. But “Kashmir” is among my “least favorite” Zeppelin hits, and as good as “Custard Pie”, “The Wanton Song”, “Black Country Woman”, and “Sick Again” are, I’ll take basically every song on the first four albums over them, especially because I can probably find analogous songs over the first four albums that are superior. This is a great record, one I cherish in its own way, but it’s not *my* Zeppelin record. A very, very high 4 stars. 4/5

Tough to argue with. It only means so much to me, but it’s excellent. 4/5

I like it. Perhaps one day I’ll love it. 4/5

My second favorite Radiohead. I don’t love it enough to get it to 5 stars, but it could get there one day. 4.5/5

The rare double album that gets better as it goes on. Interested to revisit this down the line, especially after refamiliarizing myself with their early records. 3.5/5

There’s some excellent stuff on here - namely, the verses/choruses to “Blank Space” and “Shake It Off” and some of the melodic/production choices on “Welcome to New York”. I’m just not hot on the overall style and have yet to connect with her writing on a deeper level. 2.5/5

Starts off strong and loses me a bit in the second half. Still figuring out my relationship to this band. 3.5/5

Unbelievable performance. Sam's voice is top-notch. I wish there were a few more true standout songs, but very little to complain about. 4.5/5

As a Tom Waits, Ween, and Zappa fan, this doesn’t seem too far outside the box to me. Still delightfully strange, of course. Way more interesting than a lot of other albums on this list. 3.5/5

My second favorite U2 album. Not quite perfection, but they’re approaching it. 4.5/5

I like the base of it, but it gets a bit too repetitive. 3/5

With all due respect to some of the lyrics' social aspects, this is just about the opposite of what I want rock music to sound like. 0.5/5

Not quite perfect and not quite their best, but still absolutely incredible. 4.5/5

Excellent songwriting and atmosphere. Excited to spend more time with this one. 4.5/5

It's largely not to my liking, but there are a few elements that really catch my ear. Track 2 in particular - "Banstyle / Sappys Curry" - is pretty interesting. But my god, is it long and repetitive. It may even be closer to 1 star than 2, but I can't in good conscience give this the same score on this website as Limp Bizkit. 1.5/5

I was pleasantly surprised when I heard The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, but after hearing this one, Foxtrot, Trick of the Tail, and Seconds Out, I’m convinced Genesis is just not the band for me. There are select songs (especially on Lamb) I dig, and I certainly respect all the individual talent, but I just feel a massive disconnect with the overall style and execution. 2.5/5

Didn’t like this as much as Zombie, but still very good. 3.5/5

I hope one day I will love this as much as everyone else seems to. 3.5/5

“Common People” is great, and the rest is good. It gets the bump to 4 for this website. But I’m not sure what it is about this band that makes some people lose their minds. 3.5/5

Damn, this is fantastic. Excited to keep revisiting this one. 4/5

Much more interesting than some would lead you to suggest. Better than most of its imitators. 4/5

Despite not having the biggest range in the world, Lanegan is such an expressive singer, and he fits this band so well. This is such a musically adventurous album. Room for this one to keep growing on me. 4/5

I'm no expert on ambient music, but I know I dig this a decent amount. 3.5/5

Going with a decently solid 3.5 stars on this. For me, the three hits are far and away the standouts, especially the supremely cool "Do It Again". A pretty perfect recording, if you ask me. None of the other seven tracks come close to it, "Dirty Work", or "Reelin' in the Years" for me, though Skunk Baxter's work on "Kings" and "Change of the Guard" is particularly excellent. "Only a Fool Would Say That" and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again" are the only clunkers in my book, and even then, neither are offensively bad by any means. Just not my preferred style. 3.5/5

Slightly confused as to why this one is so propped up, but I certainly can't pretend to be a hip-hop expert. As an outsider, this is extremely one-note and not half as interesting as quite a few rap albums also on this list. 2.5/5

I couldn’t be happier that this album is on here. It very much changed my life. White Blood Cells and Elephant made me a White Stripes fan, but this one kickstarted my Jack White obsession and opened the doors to looking at music in an entirely different way. I don’t care if other people view it as inferior to the rest of their catalog; I love every single second of it. 5+/5

This one gets a big ol’ “meh” from me. 3/5

I respect that everyone seems to love it, but I just really, really don’t get it. “Running Up That Hill” is great, but otherwise…meh. Just not my thing I guess. 2.5/5

Wanted to like it more than I did - I love the Singles Going Steady comp - but still very good. 3.5/5

Much respect to both of these individual artists. This bored the fuck out of me. 2/5

Yes yes yes yes yes. Total perfection. This performance of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is one of my absolute favorite pieces of music ever recorded. One of the more important albums of my lifetime. 5/5

I won't pretend that the title track or "Life in the Fast Lane" are my favorite songs ever, or even that I ever have the urge to put them on, but I do enjoy them well enough when they're playing. Combined with the overall inoffensiveness of most of the album, they're enough to not sink it below 3 stars. But I just...don't care. It's honestly funny to me that people have such strong opinions about this band, positively or negatively, in the first place. Perhaps this is my privilege talking as a child of the 90's who didn't need to deal with their onslaught of fame in the 70's. Anyway...it's fine. 3/5

It's always fascinating when you are thoroughly entertained by something, but equally can't stand anything about it. Respect. 0 stars, but a higher 0 stars than Limp Bizkit. 0/5

Not as good as the debut, but still perfect. 5/5

Pretty cool stuff. I could see myself getting more into them with time. 3.5/5

Way different and way cooler than I was expecting! Interesting and effective blend of organic Americana instruments/sounds with more standard British new wave and synthpop. I underestimated these guys! Excited to return to this and see if I go higher with my score. 3.5/5

My first Spirit album and I’m definitely impressed. Strong vocals and nice musical diversity. Will definitely be returning to this one. 4/5

Yeah yeah yeah, it's important and influential and everything, I have no problem giving it all the roses it deserves on an objective level. Subjectively, I don't want ever want to listen to music that sounds like this, no matter how well written or produced it is (or at least, how well written and produced people SAY it is). 2/5

Maybe one day I will appreciate this band more. Today is not that day. 3/5

"Frankie Teardrop" just blew my goddamn mind. Holy shit, I can't wait to dig deeper into this. 4/5

I prefer a bit more room for exploration in jazz, and additionally, I generally prefer a more stripped back group. The stylings of and arrangements for the nonet lend this to sound like it still has one foot in the big band era of old, which I like fine enough but is rarely something I want to listen to in larger doses. That said, it’s awesome to pick out the aspects of it that are clearly pushing the envelope for the time. I love the unexpected dissonance in the harmonization of “Moon Dreams” in particular, and although Miles doesn’t sound totally like himself as a player yet (still great, of course), “Deception” sounds distinctly like a Miles composition. “Move”, “Godchild”, and “Boplicity” are additional highlights for me. I think Konitz, Mulligan, and Roach shine in particular, and I loved discovering that both J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding were featured in separate sessions years before recording their duet albums. A light 4 stars for me. 4/5

Very, very close to 4.5 stars. Doesn't finish as strongly as it starts, but goddamn, it's still pretty awesome all the way through. 4/5

Wilco doesn't achieve perfection until their next album, in my opinion (and maintain that perfection for three subsequent albums as well). Being There still has a bit of filler and the feel of a band that hasn't exactly found their identity. That said, it's a very, very high 4 stars and still an excellent album. "Misunderstood", "Sunken Treasure", "I Got You (At the End of the Century)"...I mean, come on. 4/5

Absolutely stellar power pop. 4.5/5

Ray could sing the phonebook and it would sound amazing. But I didn't love the bombastic horns on side A or the schmaltzy arrangements of side B. The songs have very little room to breathe. They're good songs, and again, Ray does his job, but I won't return to this much. 3.5/5

Why the fuck is this on the list? Seriously. Does Dimery truly not understand the gravity of the phrase "must hear before you die"? Jesus Christ. 1.5/5

Not as good as the two that came before it, but still excellent. 4/5

Goddamn. I knew I would enjoy this; I've enjoyed pretty much everything I've ever heard from Dolly's classic period. But I didn't expect to love this album as much as I did. Just top-notch all the way around. Incredible songwriting, arrangements, performances, etc. It's so much more than just the fantastic title track. Probably the most unexpected 5 stars I've awarded so far, but very happy to. 5/5

Surprisingly strong, given how burnt out I am on the hits (and how indifferent I've always felt toward most of them). Listening to them as part of the package they were intended to be heard on really made it click for me. 4/5

Fun and melodic enough in places, but not something I really love and certainly not something I'll ever revisit. 2.5/5

Okay, maybe there's room for me to dig this record yet. This most recent listen fared much better than my first couple. I still struggle with the vocals, and it's definitely not my favorite overall style, but a lot of the melodies revealed themselves more to me this time around. I'll keep at it... 3/5

Thoughts after disc 1: Holy fuck, this is so goddamn good. 318 days in and I *finally* get my first Nick Cave album. I've never listened to a full one and I'm so happy this is my first. Absolutely fantastic in every way. I hope the second disc keeps it up... Thoughts after disc 2: Not as good as disc 1 on first listen, but still consistently excellent. Light 4.5 for now, but potential room to grow. 4.5/5

Thoughts after disc 1: Holy fuck, this is so goddamn good. 318 days in and I *finally* get my first Nick Cave album. I've never listened to a full one and I'm so happy this is my first. Absolutely fantastic in every way. I hope the second disc keeps it up... Thoughts after disc 2: Not as good as disc 1 on first listen, but still consistently excellent. Light 4.5 for now, but potential room to grow. 4.5/5

It's interesting to me that this is apparently generally considered their best; I enjoyed Stand! a decent bit more. I still dug this, however, and perhaps it will reveal itself to me more on subsequent listens. 3.5/5

Second half slightly stronger than the first, but solid all the way around. You can tell how passionate and genuine they are. 4/5

Second half slightly stronger than the first, but solid all the way around. You can tell how passionate and genuine they are. 4/5

I like it and respect its importance, but once again, I find myself wishing I liked it more than I did. 3.5/5

I’m not ALL the way there with it yet…but I think it could happen one day. 4.5/5

Don't always love her voice, and some of the non-singles don't stack up as well against the big hits, but there's some undeniably excellent stuff here. 3.5/5

There's some Steely Dan I dig, but none of it sounds like this. How something can be so competently and articulately arranged and still so insipid is beyond me. I just don't get this type of music, and Fagen is one of the least convincing vocalists I've ever heard. 2/5

There are some interesting tracks/elements here, and I can genuinely see where the appeal and influence lies. That said, most of it sounds like a band that took all the wrong lessons from "Revolution 9". I'll still take it over Linkin Park, though. 1/5

Nothing mind-blowing, but some killer lyrics/production and pretty consistently solid. 3.5/5

Not even offensively experimental, just boring. 1.5/5

Sorry, y'all. I respect the hell out of him, but it just ain't my bag. 2/5

To this day, Pet Sounds is still, for me, the quintessential album where I’m waiting to hear what everyone else is hearing. When I listen to the classic albums by The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, and so many others, I *hear* these albums that are so highly praised. Even albums that I don’t particularly enjoy from a stylistic standpoint like Thriller, I totally get them. It’s not that I don’t hear some majorly impressive things on Pet Sounds; I decidedly like about half the songs on it. But even after reading all the dissertations on it, I’m just not there with it. I’m not enamored with so many of the precious baroque influences that are scattered across it; I’m not saying that the style itself is bad or even that they do it badly, it has just never been something that resonates with me. Fuck, as much as I love “Penny Lane”, it’s never been anywhere near a top 50 Beatles song for me, whereas everyone else seems to have it as a top 10 song, and I think part of it is that aspect. And I apologize if anyone loves any of these songs, but I just get absolutely nothing out of “You Still Believe in Me”, “That’s Not Me”, “Don’t Talk”, or honestly, as much as I know I’m *supposed* to love it, “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times”. I’ve heard all of these songs god knows how many times and I’ve paid close attention to the melodies and arrangements and lyrics and at best, my response is, “Okay, sure.” These songs, and this band as a whole, do not move me in the same way that so many of their contemporaries do, no matter how many times I’m subjected to the argument that this is Brian’s grand masterstroke of describing his loneliness and isolation through the voice of his inner child. I know I’m the “wrong” one, but I’m also not trying to pull any edgy contrarianism bullshit. I not only respect this album’s influence, I respect everyone who holds it in such high regard. It’s just not “my” album, if that makes sense. 3.5/5

Once again, true perfection from the boys. Only my fourth favorite album of theirs, and still likely a top 25-30 all-time album for me. 5+/5

This one could definitely grow on me in time. Very, very close to a true 4. 3.5/5

First impressions? Consistently very good, rarely great. Might need more time with this one. 3.5/5

Goes on a bit long and is a bit too "straight" for my tastes, but there are some truly transcendent moments. I could stand to come back to this. 3.5/5

My second favorite Joni. Absolutely wonderful. 4.5/5

Not bad, but given how much I generally like Tribe, I found the overall sound of this disappointing. 3/5

It's neck-and-neck with Sticky Fingers, but I *think* this is my favorite Stones record, and their first perfect album. They finally embody the blues music they grew up worshipping and turn it into something genuine and original. Additionally, they're not chasing the trends of their counterparts AS much. Absolutely love it. 5/5

I'm somewhat of a Stevie agnostic; I recognize his immense talent and influence, and I do love some of his music, but he'll likely never be an all-time favorite. This record in particular is just a bit too smooth for my tastes. 3/5

4 stars, and a relatively high one at that. There’s a deep sense of yearning that I feel throughout this record, even in its more upbeat moments. I think Mavers has a cool, unique voice, and it feels earnest without being overblown in any way. 4/5

Dimery should be fucking arrested for including this. 1/5

Wow, I liked this much better than anticipated! Straight-up funk only usually goes so far with me, and I get nervous whenever I see a "funk" album that's been released later and later into the 70's (don't try to dress up the word "disco," we all know what it is). But this shit is *real* funk, only ever as repetitive as it needs to be with just the right amount of variation. And, of course, top notch playing. Great shit. 4/5

Interested to see how I feel about this on repeated listenings. The first couple songs didn't grab me much, and there are a few too many songs that drifted off into anonymous indie nothingness, but the highlights are *damn* good. 3.5/5

Pretty good overall, though I think most everything on here would sound a thousand times better if My Morning Jacket was doing it. 3.5/5

I can't yet get to the full 4 stars on it because I found elements of the second and third songs to be a bit middling. However, it's undeniably VERY strong, and I think I can definitely raise this rating one day. 3.5/5

Yet another solid effort from Bowie, horrible cover of "Across the Universe" aside. "Fame" still may be my favorite of his tunes; one of the absolute deepest, dirtiest grooves ever recorded. The title track and "Win" are also spectacular. 4/5

Weird record. Some really cool stuff, some really bad stuff. Will need to come back to it at some point. 3/5

I'm a big jazz boy, but bossa nova isn't fully my bag. It's good, and I suppose I understand why everyone loves it, but give me literally everything by 50's/60's Miles, Coltrane, Mingus, Hank Mobley, Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Red Garland, etc. before this. 3.5/5

Like Boston's self-titled debut, pretty tough to deny. 4/5

Probably my least favorite of the three Cave albums I've heard so far, but still pretty damn good. "Into My Arms" is undeniable. A light 4 stars for now. 4/5

The first two songs have held up surprisingly well. After that....eh. 2/5

Extremely cool. This one may have room to grow. 4/5

Not sure what I’m missing with this one. It feels and sounds extremely insignificant. I don’t dislike much, if anything, about it, but there’s not a single element of this band or record that I haven’t heard done better (and more memorably) a thousand times before. 3/5

Very frustrating. Some really good/cool stuff, but way too overlong and anonymous at parts. 2.5/5

I can tell this one will grow on me with repeated listenings. Already great. 4/5

Undoubtedly their best. Fuck the haters. 5/5

About as good as you can expect from an early rock and roll album. The singles are the obvious highlights, but none of the album cuts are bad by any means. 4/5

Huge, huge surprise here. I am not generally a synthpop fan whatsoever, and I've historically not thought much of this "Tainted Love" cover, but something kind of comes together for me on this one. Really interesting arrangements and songs, and it's not *too* over the top or synthy. Much more intriguing than a lot of other stuff from this time period. Interested to see if this grows on me with repeated listenings! 3.5/5

I refuse to believe that Sparks existed until that documentary came out, and then everyone *pretended* like they’ve just known about them for 40 years. I worked in a record store back home for 7 years with multiple other music snobs. Been surrounded by white hipster douchebag bandmates for 15 years. Nary a *word* of this band’s existence. Then, this documentary comes out, and all of sudden, every fucking jackass I know with a mustache is all, “Oh yeah, Sparks! OBVIOUSLY!” And before I know it, these paid fucking actors have created this elaborate hoax of a *50-year career* that everyone can point to and I DON’T BUY IT. 2.5/5

Probably a top 25 all-time album for me, and likely only my third favorite Wilco record. Just outstanding in every sense of the word. 5+/5

Liked this a lot more than I anticipated. A few really prescient lyrics and moments, and a lot of solid music. Not my favorite style of music, especially when it dives further into R&B, but I could stand to go back to this. 3.5/5

I once again repeat my friend Joe's mantra: "Good, but I don't care." 3.5/5

Wish I'd gotten hip to them a while ago. I think this may continue to grow on me. 4/5

I’m still not sick of the big 4 singles from this record, and in fact, the first 7 songs are pretty fantastic in my book. It unfortunately loses a bit of steam after that, though none of it is bad. Rounding up for the website, but could be a true 4 one day. 3.5/5

What the actual hell am I supposed to say about Blonde on Blonde, my fourth favorite Bob Dylan album? I guess, to some degree, I can acknowledge that this record is understandably a lot of people’s favorite or second favorite Dylan record. Objectively, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a sonic and lyrical masterpiece, a sprawling-yet-perfectly-sequenced journey through the mind of the most brilliant songwriter of all-time, the climax of a three-album run that helped to redefine what popular music could be. Its historical significance, both in the context of Dylan’s catalog and otherwise, is well-documented and well-deserved, and not only do all 14 tracks hold up individually, the album as a whole still stands as a magnificent artistic statement. It’s just that subjectively… …well, shit, there’s nothing wrong with it subjectively for me, either. I love every single one of these songs; there’s a solid chance that each track would rank among my top 150 Dylan songs, and my “least favorite” track on this album would probably be ranked higher than my least favorite of any other album. I love the sound, the flow, the vibe of this record…it’s all amazing. Really, the only reason Blonde on Blonde sits behind three other records in my rankings is because, regardless how much I admire it as a whole and cherish every song, it has to compete with three other titanic releases that feature so many of my favorite tracks. Not that I don’t have a bevy of favorites on this record; it may include my favorite song, by anyone, of all-time. Many other tracks land amongst my top 50 Dylan songs, including the extremely catchy and highly musical “Absolutely Sweet Marie”. I’ve also always been in love with “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again”, featuring remarkable performances from the ever-reliable Charlie McCoy (bass) and Kenny Buttrey (drums) as well as so many classic lyrics (the Texas medicine/railroad gin verse in particular has always been a favorite). “4th Time Around”, the potential Lennon sendup, is a great, lilting waltz and intriguing story, and “Just Like a Woman” still stands as one of the finest melodies in Dylan’s discography. As for the lyrics, I can understand the allegations of misogyny, but I’ve always heard them coming from a defensive, disheartened character using insults to mask his pain. With its top-notch vocal delivery and flawless soundscape, it’s easily a top 20 Dylan tune for me. The juxtaposition between the wonderfully uncomplicated chorus of “I Want You” and the lonesome organ grinders, drunken politicians, and dancing children in Chinese suits that appear in the verses has always fascinated me; when I think of all the times I’ve rambled on and on trying to get my point across to the people I love, only to arrive at the simple point I’ve wanted to say the whole time, this song especially feels resonant. Equally fantastic are “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)” and “Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine”, two musically rich tracks that take very different approaches to the ending of a relationship. The most compelling love song of all, though, is the lyrical tour-de-force of “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands”. Bob’s ode to Sara is simply stunning, complete with a passionate vocal, mystical organ, and one of the finest harmonica performances on the record. It’s never felt a second too long to me. Musically, Bob gets as close to the classic Chess sound as he ever did in the 60’s on “Pledging My Time”, a slow, lumbering blues that features some of Robbie Robertson’s best recorded guitar work. The trio of additional blues songs that follow - the swanky “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”, beautifully subdued “Temporary Like Achilles”, and raving “Obviously 5 Believers” - are all excellent as well. Truly, every single one of these songs is excellent. I’ve name-checked most of them and have said little to do any of them justice; I’m not nearly a good enough writer to illustrate the lyrical and musical brilliance of these songs. In some ways, I hold this album in similar regards to Sgt. Pepper and Exile on Main St.: three incredible, important records that can all be argued as their respective acts’ crowning achievements, yet never my personal favorite. That’s of course not to say that any of these albums are overrated. Especially not this completely stacked, genius album. It’s not overrated at all. It’s five out of five stars. It’s a top 25 album of all-time for me, my fourth favorite record by my favorite singular artist. It’s Blonde on fucking Blonde. Least favorite track: “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”. I’ll never skip it or not sing along. I know some object to it being the opening track, but it’s always set the pace perfectly for me. I love it. And it’s my “least” favorite on the album. Favorite track: “Visions of Johanna”. I’ve already struggled to write a capable album summary, and now I’ve set myself up to say something about a song that always leaves me speechless. The blend of Bob’s acoustic guitar and harmonica, Joe South’s dancing bass line, Kenny Buttrey’s steady groove, and Al Kooper’s otherworldly organ is the thin, wild Mercury sound. “Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re trying to be so quiet?” is one of the most effective opening lyrics of all-time, and it only gets better from there. “The ghost of ‘lectricity howls in the bones of her face” and “The harmonicas play the skeleton keys and the rain” never fail to blow my mind. My inability to accurately describe my love for this song mirrors Bob’s inability to reach Johanna. It’s my favorite Dylan song, and quite possibly my favorite song of all-time. 5/5

Oh good, another sophistipop album. 2.5/5

I have no use for this early glam metal bullshit. I respect the influence, truly - I only say "bullshit" to describe how I feel listening to it. 2/5

Not huge into free jazz, and I don’t *love* this, but it’s pretty damn interesting. Could grow on me one day. 2.5/5

One one hand, I don't think it's his best as so many often claim it is - give me Harvest or Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere any day. On the other hand, it IS a 5-star album, so... 5/5

Solid and dependable. They’ll never be an all time favorite, but I can’t deny how good it is. 4/5

“Solsbury Hill” rules, and there are some other moments I dig, but overall, there’s still a lot of that Genesis-era influence that I’m not into. 3/5

For my money, the band on this record has a lot more fire than most “white guy blues” records. They seem to be inhibiting the spirit of the records that influenced them, not just trying to copy the sounds necessarily. Clapton is obviously incredible on it, but Mayall is a terrific vocalist and damn good harp player, too. I think this record and East-West by The Butterfield Blues Band are the best of their ilk, personally. 4.5/5

It would take Jack until 2024 to make a truly great solo album - his first one here still very much sounds like he’s trying to figure out his post-White Stripes identity. That leads to a few occasional missteps and awkward choices, songwriting or production-wise. However, the *best* stuff on here is among the best he’s done to date, namely “On and On and On”, “Missing Pieces”, “Love Interruption”, and “Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy”. The highest 3.5 I can give out. 3.5/5

Close enough to perfect to get the 5 star bump. 4.5/5

The highlights are incredible, including “Have Love Will Travel” and “The Witch”, but a lot of the covers/album tracks drag it down a bit. Still a fun listen. 3.5/5

I still think Fagen sucks, and I don't get the "Peg" or "Deacon Blues" love, but despite all of that, there's some obviously good stuff here. I would die to hear the title track without any vocals. 3.5/5

I struggled a bit with Dub Housing when I listened to it a while ago, but this one was a lot more immediately accessible. I feel like I could like this even more on repeat listenings, and I’m interested to see how the follow-up hits me when we revisit it. “Non-Alignment Pact” is such a banger. 3.5/5